ASCHHEIM, Germany, June 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

- Chinese tourists can now pay at Zwilling using Alipay 

- Wirecard brings China's leading mobile payment method to Zwilling stores in Germany 

Wirecard, a leading provider of Internet technology and mobile payments, has gained high-quality knife and cookware specialist Zwilling as a customer. The company operates across almost 100 countries worldwide and is one of the largest kitchen and household goods chains in Germany. The kitchenware specialist will now offer the new payment method Alipay in ten branches across Germany via Wirecard's 'Scan Alipay' app. This will enable Zwilling to capitalise even further on the tourism boom emanating from China.

Almost two million Chinese tourists make their way over to Germany each year, above all buying renowned luxury brands. During their travels, the average Chinese tourist spends around EUR 3,000 on shopping, with strong brand names in particular being of considerable importance. Some of the most popular products among Chinese tourists are household goods and kitchenware. By accepting Alipay payments, Zwilling is appealing to a large and lucrative target group. Experiences from other Wirecard customers have shown that offering Alipay as a new payment method via the ready-to-use Scan Alipay app has led to a 40% increase in transactions made by Chinese tourists after one quarter. Each transaction totals EUR 270 on average.

Patrick Rosenthal, Retail Manager at Zwilling: "Thanks to Wirecard, we are able to tap into a new and promising target group. By accepting Alipay we will ensure that we meet the high requirements of our mobile-loving Chinese customers."

Rita Liu, Head of Alipay EMEA: "We are happy to see Wirecard bringing more and more choices to Chinese tourists. With Alipay's in-app shopping guide Discovery platform, merchants are able to connect with millions of potential customers even before their journey to Europe depart."

Marion Laewe, Vice President Sales Consumer Goods at Wirecard: "We are very proud to have won Zwilling as a customer. With the Wirecard app Scan Alipay, we are supporting our retailers with an easy introduction to Alipay acceptance and, as such, are offering significant added value to customer acquisition in terms of the Asian target group. We look forward to expanding upon our collaboration with Zwilling in future."

Wirecard's Scan Alipay app offers retailers the opportunity to benefit from the advantages of Alipay payment acceptance: a customer making a cashless payment with their Alipay app simply needs to show the retailer the barcode on their smartphone display. The retailer then just enters the amount payable into the Scan Alipay app using a mobile device and scans the QR code on the customer's smartphone. Wirecard assumes payment acceptance and transaction processing.

About Wirecard: 

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on Twitter @wirecard.

About Zwilling: 

In 1731, Peter Henckels registered the now world famous ZWILLING as a trademark with the Cutler's Guild of Solingen, thereby laying the foundation for an international company. The white ZWILLING symbol on a red background is today an expression of a sophisticated lifestyle. Whether high-quality kitchen products, cutlery or beauty instruments: the outstanding success of one of the oldest brands in the world is based on customer satisfaction, which crossed national borders at a very early stage. The products are innovative and, to this day, have been setting international standards, as they are always geared towards customers' wishes.

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG
Jana Tilz
Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363
E-Mail: jana.tilz@wirecard.com

Zwilling media contact:

ZWILLING J.A. Henckels Retail GmbH
Patrick Rosenthal
E-Mail: p.rosenthal@zwilling.com

SOURCE Wirecard AG